Japanese American Citizens League, Washington D.C. Chapter

The JACL-DC chapter is happy to continue our blog series, Meet Our Board. As a way to introduce you to our 2018 board members, this series will feature posts from members throughout the year. Be sure to keep checking back for future posts from these individuals who are here to serve the DC chapter.

Hello DC Chapter! I’m Alice Lin and I serve as Secretary of the JACL-DC chapter board. Growing up in San Jose, I learned about some Japanese and Japanese American culture, but I only truly learned of JACL when I first came to DC to as a college intern. When I had the opportunity to help organize the legislative advocacy day on immigration reform for the 2013 Convention, I was moved by both the stories and the level of engagement of the JACL members I spoke with.

I was later fortunate to become a Mike M. Masaoka Fellow working for my Congressman Mike Honda. As a Fellow working on Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) issues for Rep. Honda, I learned much more about the JA experience and JA issues. As a second-generation Taiwanese American, I believe AAPI communities have a great deal to learn from the JA community’s long and continuing dedication to civil rights.

I am grateful for the warm welcome I have received from many in this chapter and am excited to contribute to this vibrant community.